There is known a starting device for a chemical oxygen generator (cf. Application No. 2,818,250 of Dragwerk AG, Fed. Rep. of Germany; U.K. Patent Specification No. 2,019,729 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,246,229) including a casing with a chemical oxygen generating material therein, an ampule containing an ignition liquid wherein the ampule is cradled adjacent the oxygen generating material, and an ignition means having a spring-loaded thrust bolt held fast in an opening within the casing by a locking pin. A sealing ring at the external end of the thrust bolt tightly fits adjacent the casing, sealing off the interior thereof when the locking pin is withdrawn. The sealing ring thereby prevents oxygen leaks.
The disadvantage of the known design is the possibility of the tilting of the thrust bolt due to fragments of the ampule or an obstacle between the sealing ring and casing (e.g. coarse particles of dust, chip, burrs, etc.) which impairs the sealing effect.
Also known is a starting device for a self-contained breathing apparatus (cf. USSR Inventor's Certificate No. 338,227, Int. Cl. A62B 21/00) incorporating a brick of an oxygen generating material, an ampule containing an ignition liquid cradled in a socket of a resilient diaphgram, and an ignition means in the form of a spring-loaded lever with an ignition pin held ready for operation by a detent.
The disadvantage of this design is its poor reliability resulting from leaks of oxygen through the diaphragm, which can be damaged by the ignition pin in starting the apparatus.